By Ozioruva Aliu

BENIN CITY – THE Ukhun Kingdom in Esan West local government area of Edo State was turned to mourning a few days ago as her son-in-law, Irete Ehikioya lost his life in a ghastly motor accident with his body burnt beyond recognition in the Sienna car with registration number YAB 842 DB he was driving.

It was gathered that the cause of the accident was the bad road and the indiscriminate dumping of refuse on the road by refuse contractors who more often than not dropped the refuse in the middle of the road thereby reducing the two-lane access to one.

Eye witness told Vanguard yesterday that in an attempt to avoid a head-on collision with a tipper vehicle, Irete ran into a burning refuse heap on the road resulting in a conflagration that led to his death. He is survived by his wife and three kids.

The 8-kilometre road was constructed in 1980 by the then governor of old Bendel state, the late Professor Ambrose Folorunso Alli and since then successive governments haven’t done much to improve its state in terms of rehabilitation or reconstruction leaving a greater stretch of the road in a deplorable state

The development some motorists said has led to the community being cut off from its neighbours especially during the rainy season thereby hampering the easy movement of goods and services within the area.

Flowing from the above, the Onojie of Ukhun Kingdom, His Royal Highness, Zaiki Aboiralor Omoigiade has appealed to the Edo state, His Excellency Mr Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki, the Honorable Commissioner of Environment & Sustainability, Arc. Joshua Omokhodion and the Esan West local government council Chairman Mr Collins Aigbogun to use their positions to fix the road and call the refuse merchants in order to check the incessant carnage on the road.